German group ebm‑papst invests 30 million euros in new location in Romania

ebm‑papst, the world’s leading manufacturer of fans and motors, is investing 30 million euros in the construction of a production and development center in Oradea, Romania. The official groundbreaking ceremony for the new site took place on April 29 with company representatives, local politicians and the media. Since its foundation in 2017, ebm‑papst Romania has developed into an important location within the group of companies with around 500 employees and an annual turnover of almost 70 million euros.

For the construction of the new site, ebm‑papst has acquired a 55,000 sqm plot of land in Oradea’s Industrial Park II. The first construction phase covers an area of 20,000 sqm. The new building, which is scheduled for completion by May 2026, will include office space and a research and development center in addition to production and warehouse areas.

Moreover, the option to expand by a further 10,000 sqm for future investments was considered when purchasing the property.

“The new building is a further milestone in the strategic orientation of the ebm‑papst Group with its focus on the core segments of air and heating technology. At the same time, the construction project will strengthen our production and research and development activities in Europe in line with our “local-for-local” strategy,” says Klaus Geißdörfer, CEO of the ebm‑papst Group.

“Thanks to our employees, our commitment in Oradea has been a success story for many years. With the investment in Romania, we are recognizing the great contribution within the ebm‑papst Group and further expanding our presence in the European market for innovative air technology,” says Ralf Sturm, representing the three ebm‑papst shareholder families.

“At the new site, we will develop and produce intelligent and highly efficient fans with low energy consumption and a long service life, primarily for commercial refrigeration technology,” explains Frank Mayer, COO of the ebm‑papst Group und CEO Air Technology Europa. Delia Ungur, Managing Director of ebm‑papst Romania, adds: “Today we are not just laying the foundation stone for a building, but for a strong future for ebm‑papst Romania, characterized by innovation, sustainability and a deep commitment to our employees and partners. With this investment, we are paving the way for even more modern job opportunities in the economic region Oradea – we want to grow to almost 1000 employees by 2030.”

Following the start of production of electric motors for intralogistics, medical and automation applications in 2018, the portfolio was expanded a year later to include the automotive sector. 2023 saw the expansion of production capacities, the opening of a research and development center and an IT center. Shortly afterwards, the Group Service Center in the Bihor Science and Technology Park was expanded to include new competence centers in the areas of marketing, procurement, data analysis, sustainability, quality and controlling, and the reorientation of the site towards air technology was initiated. The new building in Industrial Park II will merge the two previous sites, the production facility and the Group Service Center, into one location.